


Out of Time

by Silver_belle



Series: Alistair Lavellan [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Always bring a go-bag, Angst and Humor, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Long, M/M, Multi, Sassy, Time Travel, Will add more warnings/tags as we go, disaster preparedness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-08-20 08:51:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8243518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_belle/pseuds/Silver_belle
Summary: Alistair Lavellan and his team expect many strange things to jump out of the rifts. They were not expecting a woman with fire-red hair and an attitude to match. But when one of Alexius's time-warp rifts sends Dani crashing into Thedas, they're going to have to learn to expect even more of the unexpected.
*Picking up just after In Hushed Whispers, it will run through Trespasser. I'll add more warnings and tags as things will take darker turns later. It's worth noting that I'm terribly mean to my babies. If you're not a fan of hurt, both physical and mental, don't bother. HA!





	1. Crash Landing

**Author's Note:**

> This one's a little short. It's just an introductory chapter. I'll give you more in the next one, I promise. ;)

“Another time rift has opened in the village!”

The frightened shout caused the Herald of Andraste and his comrades to glance amongst themselves. Arrangements for the mages would have to wait a moment. 

Sprinting out of the castle, they clearly saw the rift hovering near the harbor of Redcliffe village. 

“It’s another of Alexius’s time warping ones!” Dorian shouted as they ran.

“Hopefully the last!” The Iron Bull shot back. 

Terrors and Despair demons poured from the rift, heading for the frightened villagers.

“Flank them as best you can!” Lavellan bellowed as he notched an arrow to his bow. 

“Got it, Boss!” Bull answered, barreling in with his axe raised. 

The battle was going well. Several of the mages from the town jumped in to assist the Inquisition forces. All at once, the rift began glowing brighter. 

“Something new is coming through!” Solas shouted.

“Stand ready! We don’t know what we’re dealing with here!” The Herald commanded. 

All at once, yellow light burst from the rift, and a woman appeared. She was straddled atop a strange, wheeled device, and she threw her arms over her face as she fell. The metal contraption flipped several times, and the woman rolled as she crashed into the hard ground. 

Just behind her, two more terrors emerged. 

“Herald! Close the rift before more demons come through!” Solas cried as he ran to the fallen woman.

Solas knelt and quickly felt for signs of life. After confirming the woman lived, he turned and fell into a defensive stance against the demons. With all the available fighters, the demons had no chance, and soon the rift was gone with a hiss. With a relieved sigh, Solas turned back to the strange woman on the ground.

Her hair was bright red and was tied into a knot atop her head. Her clothing was completely alien, and a large pack was on her back. Solas could sense no magic from her. Despite her bizarre appearance, it seemed she was completely human.

Solas carefully rolled her to her side to better assess any damage that had been done to her. Aside from several scrapes and bruises, she appeared to be all right. At that point, several of Redcliffe’s soldiers raced up.

“Step away from the demon!” One of them ordered. He brandished a sword toward the unconscious woman, and Solas gripped his staff and placed himself between the woman and her would-be attackers.

“This is no demon,” Solas spoke loudly, but he directed the words to the Herald. “From what I can sense, she is completely human.”

“She came from the rift. Only demons walk through rifts,” The soldier stepped forward. The Herald moved to stand between Solas and the soldier.

“I beg to differ,” he stated. The words were calm, but the firmness of them caused the soldier to reconsider his stance. “Solas, what can you tell me about her?”

“I am afraid I cannot tell you much until she wakes,” Solas sighed, brushing a strand of her fiery hair from her pale cheek. “I know she is human, and I know she is not a mage. That is all.”

“You’re saying she is not a danger to us?” Lavellan already knew the answer to that question. Solas sensed that Alistair was speaking for the benefit of the restless crowd that had gathered.

“That is precisely what I’m saying,” Solas nodded. “We should bring her with us to Haven and see to any injuries she has sustained. When she wakes, we can learn more about where she came from and how she got here.”

“Bull, you heard him. Let’s get her to Haven,” Alistair motioned to the big Qunari. 

“Got it,” Bull stepped forward and gently lifted the woman. She had a healthy feel to her—curvy in all the right places. And that red hair…

Bull shook his head. Now was not the time.

As his companions marched toward the travel stone, Alistair shifted his gaze around to assess the crowd. Many of them appeared to be uncomfortable with the idea of allowing the strange woman to live, but the Herald knew what it was like to be the focus of misplaced fear and aggression. He wasn’t about to let this woman be harmed without answers.


	2. Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danette McLaughlan wakes up somewhere called Haven with someone named Cassandra wanting to kill her and someone named Herald pissed at the someone named Cassandra. Just how much vodka did she drink last night, and how is she going to get out of this mess? Oh, and her survival bag managed to make it here, so now they think she's a witch. Fantastic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figured I'd go ahead and give you the first real chapter. Loooooooooots of dialogue in this one. Action will pick up in the next.

“Why is she chained?” Anger flared in a man’s tone. It sounded awkward there—like this man was rarely angry.

Blood pounded in the young woman’s ears, and her head ached. Her wrists and ankles burned from the metal shackles against her skin. She didn’t dare move. If years of her father’s paranoia had taught her anything, it was that she should listen before acting. For now, it was assumed she was still unconscious. Even with her addled mind, she knew she needed to keep it that way for as long as possible. She fought to suppress the fear threatening to overtake her and keep her breathing even.

What she knew so far was that she was in a place called Haven—how she got there was still a mystery. A man named Solas had been caring for her. A woman named Cassandra was highly suspicious of her. A new group of people had just entered the room, and the one called “Herald” was unhappy with her current situation—in chains on a bed. 

“I thought it was quite excessive, myself,” Another cool tenor answered. This one was much closer. It was Solas.

“When I left for the breech, I understood she was to be made comfortable until she awakened,” The first man stated icily.

“We do not know what we are dealing with, Herald,” Cassandra answered firmly. “This could be some new threat from Corypheus—”

“Or she could be an innocent woman,” Herald snapped. “I seem to remember another innocent soul who fell out of a rift not too long ago.”

“I understand your point, Your Worship, but we cannot take risks until we know for sure,” Another female with a strange accent spoke up.

“Any idea when she’ll wake, Solas?” Frustrated, Herald turned his attention to other matters. 

“I believe you will find that she is awake already,” Solas’s voice was soft and mirthful. “Though she is doing a fantastic job of concealing it. Had I not been monitoring her journey in the Fade, I never would have noticed.”

At this information, an awkward silence fell over the room, and fear rose in the young woman’s chest. Swallowing it down, she slowly blinked her eyes and opened them. The light from a nearby lantern blinded her, and she frowned deeply. With a quick motion, a man placed himself between her and the light to shield her. 

“Got a bit of a headache?” A new male voice laughed.

The woman blinked again, focusing on a handsome face above her. The man was muscular and tan with black hair and a magnificently curled mustache. He smiled brightly down at her as she searched his face.

“Who are you? A spy? How long have you been listening?” Cassandra demanded, rushing forward and grabbing her collar.

The young woman’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth a few times, but no words would come. She glanced imploringly from one face to the next. 

Cassandra’s stern glare was framed by raven hair. Behind her, a bald man with pointed ears seemed startled by the woman’s forcefulness. From his position, the young woman guessed him to be Solas. Behind him, a giant man with great horns leaned against the wall, and a second woman with red hair peeking from beneath a hood watched appraisingly. A red haired dwarf stood holding a crossbow by the door.

“Cassandra! Let go of her!” The man named Herald stepped forward and pried Cassandra’s hands off the young woman’s collar. 

The chains holding her to the bedposts rattled as she fell back onto the cushy surface. Herald glared at Cassandra with electrifying green eyes. His hair and skin were as white as snow, and his ears were pointed. Forest green marks danced on his face and neck in beautifully graceful lines. He turned, and concern flickered across his eyes as he spoke again. 

“Are you all right?”

The young woman nodded quickly.

“We need to know what she knows,” Cassandra snapped.

“And we will ask her. However, frightening her will do no favors for anyone,” he answered sternly.

He turned back to the young woman on the bed and smiled softly.

“I am Alistair Lavellan,” he informed her, placing a slender hand to his chest. 

“You…I thought your name was Herald,” she whispered. 

Alistair looked shocked for a moment before a crooked smile overtook his face. Quiet laughter flitted through the room.

“Some refer to me as the Herald of Andraste. Herald or ‘Your Worship’ for short,” he laughed lightly. “Do you know of Andraste?”

The blank expression on her face must have been answer enough because there was some uncomfortable shifting throughout the room.

“No matter,” Only Alistair seemed completely at ease. “What is your name?”

“Danette,” she answered. “Most people call me Dani.”

“Very well, Dani,” Alistair nodded with a smile. “Would everyone else like to introduce themselves, or shall I do it for you?”

“I am Solas,” The other man with pointed ears spoke up.

“Thank you for caring for me,” Dani smiled nervously. 

“You are most welcome,” Solas nodded with a faint smile in return.

“You really have been listening a while, huh?” The dwarf by the door chuckled. “I’m Varric Tethras—rogue and storyteller extraordinaire. I’m going to have my own set of questions for you later. This is too good not to write down.”

“It’s—uh—nice to meet you,” Dani nodded to him.

“I am Dorian Pavus of Tevinter,” The dark man who shielded her from the light gave a flourishing bow. “You’ve already met Seeker Cassandra. She’s not the best at using her words.”

“Hello,” Dani waved as best she could with her hands chained down.

“The Iron Bull, Mercenary captain of the Bull’s Chargers,” The horned man spoke with a booming baritone.

“What an appropriate name,” Dani giggled nervously.

“And I am Sister Leliana,” The hooded woman gave a shallow bow.

“It’s…a pleasure?” Dani said uncertainly.

“I apologize for your current conditions,” A shadow crossed Alistair’s face.

“No, I understand…I think. It doesn’t look like I’m in Kansas anymore,” she muttered, glancing anxiously around the room.

“Kansas? Is that the place from which you hail?” Cassandra’s interest piqued. 

“What? No…it’s an expression. I’m from Georgia. It’s on the other side of the…” She could tell from the looks on the faces of those around her that they had no idea what she was talking about. “Where exactly am I?”

“You are in Haven. It’s just on the Ferelden side of the border with Orlais,” Alistair hesitated, studying her face. It was her turn to be thoroughly confused. None of those places were on any map she’d ever seen.

“You came out of the Fade. Do you remember how you got there?” Cassandra asked impatiently.

“The…Fade?” Dani repeated.

“The world of spirits and demons beyond the rifts,” Alistair offered.

They may as well have been speaking another language because Dani understood none of what either of them said. Suddenly, Varric stepped forward, clearing his throat.

“You came through a rift. Green, glowy, magic thing with lots of demons…monsters,” he shrugged. 

“Oh…” Memories flooded back to Dani in a great rush. “Oh!”

She looked around the room and then down, trying to make sense of her jumbled mind.

“I was…driving. I don’t remember where I was going. All of a sudden, there was this green light, and I wasn’t on the street anymore. The next thing I remember getting out of the wreckage. I remember getting my bike and my backpack out of the back hatch… I remember being afraid. The place was dark and rocky. It smelled like something had died…and mildew. Just…wet death. There were…things. They came after me. They looked like giant bugs with huge claws. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

There was another uncomfortable shift in the room as Dani recounted her story. She trembled slightly, her eyes full of fear.

“How did you escape?” Dorian asked softly.

“I saw an opening in the distance. It looked like a hole in space, and a village was on the other side. It looked like I was staring through a pool of water or something. I rode my bike as fast as I could, aiming for that…then the next thing I remember is hearing your voice.”

Dani looked at Solas with a soft smile. He looked down and away, chewing his lip. 

“Solas, what do you make of this?” Cassandra pressed.

“It would seem…Lady Danette is not from this time…if she is from this world at all,” he murmured. The crowd looked at one another in astonishment. “The magister’s rifts must have so altered time and space that this woman was dragged from her own existence and shoved into ours.”

Dani stared blankly at the wall. None of this made any sense. If she was in another time and space…

“How will I get home?” She whispered.

The silence in the room was oppressive, and then Solas sighed.

“I am not sure,” he answered honestly. “I have never heard of this happening before, but I will search the Fade and learn what I can.”

“Thank you,” Dani muttered in reply, fighting with the tears that threatened her.

“In the mean time, why don’t we make our guest more comfortable?” Alistair held out his hand to Cassandra.

“I’m still not comfortable with this,” She informed him. “How do we know anything she said is the truth?”

“At some point, you just have to trust people,” Alistair motioned his hand toward her, and she reluctantly handed over the key to the chains.

As the pale man stepped closer to the bed, Dani noticed Varric, The Iron Bull, and Leliana sliding out the door. Alistair sat on the bed, and gently unlocked the iron bindings. As they fell away, he drew in a hissing breath.

“Vishante kaffas,” Dorian breathed. “Did you not take those off at all?”

“She could be a demon,” Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest.

“Do you really believe that?” Alistair growled as he quickly unlocked the rest of the chains.

“Here, give me your hands,” Dorian said softly as he pulled her to a sitting position. 

“Let me help,” Solas moved closer.

Each man took one of Dani’s hands. The bruising around her wrists was extensive. The skin was broken in places with scabbed, angry wounds. Soon, her hands were engulfed in a healing light, and the pain instantly faded. She stared with wide eyes.

“Well, that’s not something they can do back home,” she commented.

“Your world doesn’t have magic?” Solas cocked his head to the side.

“Not like that,” Dani shook her head as she turned her hands over in wonder. Only a slight discoloration remained where the wounds were seconds before. “We also don’t have monsters and…fade rifts? And no one has horns…or naturally pointy ears.”

“Do some have unnaturally pointed ears?” Alistair laughed.

“Yes. Some have surgery to achieve the look,” Dani nodded matter-of-factly.

She noticed the troubled expression on Solas’s face.

“That sounds like the kind of gruesome thing they’d be interested in back home,” Dorian laughed darkly. 

“Yes, I always thought it was a bit extreme,” Dani responded distantly, studying Solas’s face. 

“If your world has no magic, how do you explain the things we found in your pack?” Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest.

“Pack…?” Dani frowned. “Oh! My bag! It made it here?”

Cassandra nodded to a corner where Dani’s bag sat in a chair. The contents of it were strewn across a table. That was going to take a while to put back together.

“Oh,” Dani sighed. 

Slowly, she stood and walked over to the table. She noticed Cassandra’s hand shifting to her weapon, but Alistair waved her off as he moved to follow Dani.

“Well, this is a mess,” Dani pressed her lips together. She sorted through the items in some attempt at organizing them. 

“My apologies. We should have waited until you were awake to go through your things,” Alistair directed his statement over his shoulder at Cassandra. 

“It’s okay. I understand the need for caution,” Dani sighed. “Most of this is medical stuff—that or emergency preparedness stuff. My dad was big into being prepared. Always had us keep a go bag with us at all times. ‘You need enough to survive on your own with nothing for at least forty-eight hours,’ he’d always say. I guess old habits die hard.”

“What is this?” Alistair held up a silver cylinder.

Dani took it from him and swiftly unhooked a few pieces. She rearranged them and re-hooked them in a different sequence.

“It’s a water filter. It doesn’t have any mechanical parts, and you saw how small it collapses. It’s a must for any go-bag.”

“Fascinating,” Alistair took it back from her and examined it. “So you put the water here?”

“And it comes out here,” Dani pointed to the bottom. “Once it’s done, you unscrew the bottom and use it as a cup.”

“What is this?” Solas lifted a small, rectangular device.

“That,” Dani picked up another rectangular device and connected them with a cord. “That is a solar powered battery pack. Let’s me charge small devices even when I can’t get to an electricity source…”

Dani paused to look around the room. The blank expressions told her they had no idea what she was talking about.

“Ah…you don’t have electricity, huh?” She smiled.

“Only electric magic,” Dorian shook his head.

“Oh, boy,” Dani sighed. “This is going to be harder to explain than I thought. Maybe I should just show you.”

Dani pressed a button on the side of the smaller rectangle. All at once, it lit up, and made a chiming sound. Dani laughed when the onlookers flinched back. She quickly touched the smooth, lighted surface and then showed it to the men around her.

“This is called a cell phone. Obviously I’ve not got any signal here, but you can at least get the concept,” she explained. She made a series of gestures on the device as she spoke. “Everyone has these where I’m from. They’re a way to communicate with each other.”

“Like a sending crystal?” Dorian offered.

“Umm…sure,” Dani chewed the inside of her cheek. “It can also be used to play games and play music.”

She held the device out just as a melody began playing. Gasps resounded through the room.

“It really is like a sending crystal!” Alistair marveled as he gently took the phone. “This is remarkable! It sounds like they’re here singing in this room!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool,” Dani giggled as she turned back to her packing. “You can play with it if you want. Not like anyone’s going to be texting me now…”

She put her first aid kit together and stashed it away along with a fire starter, emergency blanket, AED, and a few other odds and ends. After a few moments, she felt a hand on her arm.

“Are you all right?” Solas asked.

Dani looked up to see concern and empathy vying for control of the handsome man’s face. She nodded with a grim smile.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I’ve always been pretty good at rolling with the punches.”

“It cannot be easy waking up in a world you do not recognize,” Solas let his hand slip to his side awkwardly before beginning to hand Dani items to put in the pack.

“No, I think I’m still a little stunned,” Dani spoke to the bag of jerky in her hand. “I’m waiting to wake up and see that all this is a crazy dream brought on by too much pizza and vodka.”

“It is a very vivid dream if that is the case,” Solas chuckled.

“Wouldn’t be the first,” Dani sighed. “This is all distracting me right now. Meeting everyone and explaining things from home—it’s keeping my mind busy. I’m betting when things quiet down I’ll have a nice little panic.”

“Just please promise you won’t do so alone,” Dorian squeezed her shoulder. “We might know a thing or two about being caught up in these time travel rifts.”

He shot a wink at Alistair, who grinned in return.

“Okay,” Dani laughed.

A knock at the door startled everyone.

“Your Worship, the feast is ready,” A muffled voice came through the heavy wood.

“All right,” Alistair answered. “We’ll be there presently.”

“She should probably stay here,” Cassandra grumbled. “There aren’t many in Haven who are happy she’s alive at all.”

“Indeed. No one was very happy I was alive to begin with either,” Alistair answered bitterly. “Now look at me.”

“She needn’t be chained, my lord, but I think it unwise to just have her roaming Haven.”

“I’m right here,” Dani sighed as she sat on the bed.

“Forgive me,” Cassandra addressed her directly. “My caution is as much for your safety as anyone’s.”

“I get it,” Dani nodded. 

“I’ll remain here with you,” Solas offered.

“No, I’ll be fine,” Dani shook her head. “But thank you. Go enjoy yourselves. I promise not to have a mental break down until you’re back.”

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll have someone stationed right outside this door,” Alistair motioned with his hand.

“Thanks,” Dani nodded. 

She settled back on the bed with a convincing smile. The faces of the three men were reluctant as they slid out the door. It closed with a loud click, and Dani sighed, holding back tears as she stared at the ceiling. 

She made a promise. She couldn’t break down until they came back.


	3. Fear, Fire, and Foes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haven is attacked, and Dani is locked inside a burning building. Where's a good rogue when you need one? The Herald and his companions make one last stand against the enemy.

Dani awoke to the sound of screaming. She leaped out of the bed and raced to the door. It was locked, but she remembered Alistair saying he would leave someone outside.

“What’s happening?” She called fearfully. “What’s going on?”

No answer came except more screaming. Dani tried to peek through the cracks in the door, but all she could see was smoke and people running. Taking a calming breath, she began to look for another way out of the little house. It was then that the smell hit her. 

Smoke.

She looked up to see flames consuming the wooden beams of the roof. The house was on fire, and she was locked inside. Dani raced for her backpack. 

~~~

“Get to the chantry!” Cullen roared. “It’s the only remotely defensible place!”

“Help as many of the townspeople as possible on the way!” Alistair called back as he tore off to the side to help one of his soldiers.

It was a long and exhausting trip through Haven’s ruined streets, but several people were saved in the process. Alistair stood with Cullen and the other leaders trying to formulate even a shred of a plan when Dorian ran up beside him. 

“We’ve got a problem,” he huffed.

“We’ve got several problems,” Alistair nodded.

“Where’s the girl?” Dorian directed the question at Cassandra.

“Girl?” She raised an eyebrow.

“The girl. Dani. Where is she?” Dorian’s irritation was obvious in his tone.

“She’s not with the survivors? I left a man by her door!” Cassandra exclaimed.

“Well, they didn’t end up here,” Dorian shot back. “I’m going out to look for her.”

“That’s suicide!” Cullen called after him.

“That girl trusted us. I’m not about to leave her behind,” Dorian growled.

“I’m going with you,” Solas, Bull, and Varric stated together.

“That settles it,” Alistair nodded. “Cullen, get the people out with Roderick’s direction. We’ll get the girl, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Herald, what about you? How are you planning to get out once that trebuchet fires?” Cullen laid a hand on the man’s thin shoulder.

Alistair bit his lip, and there was a moment of troubled silence.

“Maybe you’ll surprise it…find a way…” Cullen trailed off.

Alistair nodded and followed his men out into the chaos of Haven.

~~~

Solas fought his way back through the smoky streets. He pushed down the anger he felt. He said from the beginning the girl was not a threat and should not be treated as one. Now she could be hurt or worse because of the blind fear of the people here. 

Up in the distance he saw the house where Dani was being kept and his heart fell. Flames engulfed the structure.

Solas ran forward and threw his shoulder against the door. The heat radiating through the wood was incredible, but the door didn’t budge.

“Lady Danette! My lady, can you hear me?” He called. 

“I’m here!” A muffled cry answered. 

Solas breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. She was still in danger. 

“Very good. We will get you out, all right?” He yelled to her. 

Suddenly, part of the roof fell in with a terrible crash. Dani screamed, and then there was silence.

“Lady Danette? Danette!” Solas threw himself against the door once more. “Someone help!”

“Shit,” Varric breathed.

“Get back!” Bull roared.

Solas jumped out of the way just in time for Bull to go crashing through the door. Immediately, flames burst through the opening, causing the giant man to stumble back. Solas threw ice magic at the inferno, but the flames were too hot to be matched. Dorian stepped up in an attempt to help, but nothing seemed to be working.

“Lady Danette!” Solas called.

When no answer came, Dorian rushed toward the blaze, but Bull grabbed him and held him back.

“Let me go! We need to help her!” Dorian fought against the restraint.

“Don’t be a fool, Dorian!” Bull grunted.

“We all want to save her as much as you do,” Varric began to circle the house as he spoke, looking for another way in. “But getting yourself burnt to a crisp isn’t going to help anyone.”

“There are no other entrances to the house,” Solas shook his head. His words dripped with sorrow and regret. “I fear we arrived too late.”

“Vishante kaffas!” Dorian roared angrily, flinging a fireball into nothing. “We never should have left her here!”

Suddenly, there was a sound like a crack of thunder followed by a thud behind Dorian. The mage wheeled around to see a red Templar on the ground with most of his head blown off.

“What the—?” 

“It’s called a gun,” A soft, feminine voice spoke from above them. “Throws a little piece of metal really fast and makes things go dead.”

“Lady Danette!” Solas exclaimed.

The young woman perched on what remained of the burning building’s roof. She was covered in ash, and her breathing was ragged, but she seemed otherwise unharmed as she shouldered her massive pack and moved to climb down. Bull stepped up and caught her easily.

“That bag weighs as much as you do,” he commented. 

“Yes, well, it’s full of very useful things,” Dani answered curtly. “Where’s Herald?”

“He’s holding the attention of the red Templars so we would have an easier time finding you,” Varric answered. “We should get you back to the chantry so we can go help him.”

“No way!” Dani shook her head firmly and began marching toward the sounds of battle. “I’m not about to sit back while any of you are out here fighting.”

“Do you have any combat training?” Bull asked.

“Remind me who it was that took that guy down before he took Dorian’s head off,” Dani pointed to the body on the ground.

“Fair enough,” Bull nodded. “Let’s get going.”

~~~

By the time they reached Alistair, the Herald was barely holding his own against the red Templars. When the battlefield was flooded with his allies, the elven man slid to his knees, and Dani immediately ran to his side. 

“Hey, are you hurt?” Dani crouched before him and gripped his shoulders.

“Nothing too serious,” Alistair smiled at the blatant concern covering the young woman’s face. “Just needed to catch my breath.”

Dani nodded before turning her back to him and pulling out her gun. She clicked a new magazine into place and took up a defensive position.

“Take your time. I’ve got you covered,” she stated firmly.

She felt a hand on her shoulder as Alistair used her as a support to stand.

“Thank you, but you should fall back with the others. I’ll be sending my men right behind you as soon as we get this trebuchet aimed.”

“Not happening, pretty boy!” Dani laughed. “I’ve already been chased by demons, chained up, and nearly burned to death. Go big, or go home!”

Alistair flashed her a lopsided grin.

“In that case, after you!”

At his command, Dani raced into the fray. She found herself captivated by the way the two mages wielded their craft. Dorian and Solas whirled the heavy staves as though they were part of themselves, and the magic flowing from them was clearly coming from their very life force. Dani had never seen anything like it, and it was truly stunning. Coming back to herself, she flanked the battle and began firing whenever a good shot opened up—just as her father had taught her.

“Always conserve your ammo. You’ve only got so many bullets, so don’t take unnecessary shots.”

Dani could practically hear his gruff voice in her mind.

“It’s aimed!” Alistair called. “Fall back!”

“And leave you out here alone? Not a chance, Boss!” Bull grunted as he squared off with one of the Templars.

All at once, a deafening roar shook the ground. 

“Move!” Alistair ordered, motioning everyone back. “Move now!”

Dani’s eyes went wide as terror shot through her. Every muscle in her body froze as she stared at the black mass of wings and teeth that was hurtling toward them. She had never encountered anything like this. And now, she was powerless against it. 

Closer and closer the beast came, sending fire, ash, and debris in every direction with the beats of its powerful wings. Dani felt a sharp pain in her head, and then she knew no more.

~~~

Bull coughed and sat up. He, like all the others, had been blown back when the beast landed. He’d always dreamed of taking down a dragon, but this—this was something else entirely. It was unholy and demonic—terror embodied. 

“Boss!” Bull roared at the dragon’s back. He knew somewhere beyond it, the elven man was alone.

“Bull, get them back! There’s nothing you can do for me now!” Alistair’s voice, though distant, still managed some strength. 

Bull plunged his weapon into the bloodstained snow with a cry of rage. As much as he hated to admit it, Alistair was right. There was nothing any of them could do against a monster like that—nothing they could do but run—run or die. Bull considered doing just that. 

He considered barreling in and dying alongside his leader. Alistair was prepared to die alone to save them all. That’s just how he was—unbroken and unafraid. But it shouldn’t have to be that way. He should have at least one ally by his side.

Just as Bull prepared to run, a soft noise caused him to pause. He glanced to the side and saw a mop of wild, orange curls lying over the bloody snow. 

“Shit,” he muttered.

Bull jogged to the fallen woman, finally taking a moment to examine the rest of his surroundings. Dorian was rousing a few feet away from Dani. Solas was in the process of standing off to the right, and Varric was sprawled across the snow beyond him. None of the Templars in the area appeared to be moving.

“Dani?” Bull reached down and gently shook the girl’s shoulder. “Hey come on, Ginger. Wake up.”

The only response was a pained groan. She’d taken a hard hit to the head. The blood on this section of snow was hers. Upon quick assessment, Bull discovered she’d also been cut along her right shoulder, and her breathing was nothing more than a high-pitched wheeze. Most of her left arm was severely burned. He wasn’t sure if that was from the house fire or the fighting. All he did know is that she’d taken significant damage, and she was tough as nails—fighting through pain and fear as though they were nothing.

“You’ve fought hard enough, beautiful,” he whispered to her as he gently lifted her. “Rest now. The Iron Bull will take care of you.”

“Bull, where’s the Herald?” Dorian approached him quickly. He motioned to Dani. “She all right?”

“She’ll live,” Bull nodded and began jogging toward the chantry. “Grab Varric. We need to move.”

“Where’s—?”

“Move!” Bull yelled. 

He didn’t want to think about where Alistair was or what he was facing. If he did, he might not be able to stop himself from running back. Right now, he needed to focus on getting Dani and the others to safety.


	4. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Haven, Dani fought fiercely, but once the fighting is over, the reality of her situation comes crashing down. She'll need a moment to think, and the Inquisition makes camp to try and heal.

When Dani awoke, the whole world was shaking. She was moving up and down in a rhythmic fashion. Catching a breath was difficult through her constricted throat. Around her, she could hear crying. She heard women wailing, and closer, someone was breathing steadily. The scent of leather, sweat, and ash filled her nose.

Dani opened her eyes and realized she was being carried. She turned her head slowly and found herself looking up at Bull’s solemn face.

“What happened?” She whispered hoarsely.

“Ginger. Welcome back,” Bull looked down at her in surprise and then gave her a grim smile. “You got knocked on the head when that dragon flew in.”

“Is everyone okay?” Dani tried to look around.

“Dorian and Solas are fine,” he reported. “Varric got hit like you did, but he’ll be fine too.”

“Where’s Herald?” Dani asked timidly.

Bull pressed his lips together and sighed. Dani no longer needed a verbal answer. She sat up in his arms and looked back over his shoulder. 

They were steadily climbing a mountain path. In the valley below, Haven was completely destroyed—buried under tons and tons of snow and rock.

“When the dragon landed, we got cut off from him,” Bull told her. “He yelled for us to go on, and we didn’t have a choice.”

“No…” Dani shook her head. 

She had only known Alistair for a few hours—only spoken to the man twice—but there was something about him that instantly caused her to love him. She already loved them all. Her heart ached at the thought that she was safe while one of her new friends was buried—hurt or dead—in that mess. 

“No!” She screamed, leaping from Bull’s embrace. “No, we have to help him! We can’t leave him there!”

Dani made it three steps before she collapsed into the deep snow. She looked down at her hands and saw the remains of the bruises on her wrists. She saw the burn that covered most of her left arm and the blood that had spattered on her right. She didn’t even know if it was her own blood or someone else’s.

She didn’t know when the trembling began, but it was severe. Tears blurred her vision. She grabbed handfuls of snow and attempted to scrub the blood away as she sobbed.

“We didn’t want to leave him,” Bull said softly from behind her. “Believe me, if I could have saved him…”

Dani couldn’t answer. She only choked out a sob and then continued to cough and wheeze at the ash that had filled her lungs. All the while, she continued scrubbing desperately, so hard it hurt.

Finally, someone took her hands and held them firmly. She looked up to see Dorian’s grey eyes filled with tears just like her own.

“There’s so much blood,” she whispered. 

Dorian was slightly taken aback by the horror in the young woman’s deep green eyes. In Haven, she had been a warrior—calm and deadly—like she had encountered this same scenario hundreds of times. Now Dorian could see the truth.

“You’ve never seen battle, have you?” He asked softly.

“I’ve never seen demons. I’ve never been in a fire,” Dani stared at Dorian’s chest, but he could tell that’s not what she saw. “I’ve never fired that gun outside of a practice range…”

Dani’s eyes shot up to Dorian’s, and she began taking short, wheezing breaths.

“Oh, God…” She whispered desperately, eyes wide with terror. “I killed people.”

Dorian had seen enough. He grabbed the fractured woman and pulled her to his chest, ignoring the cold beneath him. She melted into the embrace and wept openly. Her entire body trembled violently, and Dorian hugged her tighter. For a while, he just let her break, but he finally spoke.

“What you killed were monsters. They were hardly people anymore,” he told her honestly. “And if you wouldn’t have done what you did, they would have killed you, me, and so many others. I never saw that first one coming. I owe you my life.”

Dani’s sobbing calmed slightly. She gripped the back of Dorian’s armor as though it was a lifeline. 

“There was so much screaming and smoke,” she sobbed. “And Alistair…he…”

“I know,” Dorian’s voice shook, and he hugged her tighter still. “I know…”

“We’re going to set up a camp to tend to the wounded, and then we’ll go back to search for survivors,” An unfamiliar voice spoke behind her. “I pray the Herald is among them.”

Dani pulled away from Dorian and turned to see a tall, blonde man standing next to Bull with his arms crossed over his chest. Solas stood on his other side. The blonde man stared solemnly down at the destruction. Around the quiet group, hundreds of people marched on, but for a moment, their circle was unable to move.

“Damn it all. I wish there had been another way—any other way,” he ran a hand through his curly hair before turning his attention to Dani. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to meet you before all this. I am Commander Cullen. I see to the Inquisition’s forces…or what’s left of them…”

Cullen shook his head with a disgusted sigh.

“Dani,” The young woman answered, wiping at the tears that covered her face.

Cullen’s face softened as he turned his attention back to the shivering woman. He knelt and put his cloak around her shoulders.

“I was told you acted as bravely as my soldiers,” A smile tugged at his lips. “Thank you for your help.”

“I didn’t have time to think about it,” she shook her head. “I just…acted. You see what I would have done if I’d have thought about it all for a second.”

“Hey,” Cullen tilted her chin up toward his handsome face. “Even the most courageous of warriors are afraid sometimes. I know I was back there. You did what you needed to do in spite of the fear, and that is truly commendable.” 

Dani nodded in reply, allowing Cullen to pull her back to her feet. She stood shakily until Solas came forward and looped her arm around his shoulders. Together, the group began moving forward once more.

~~~

With the camp established, Dorian had been busy helping with the healing efforts. The numbers of the injured seemed limitless. It was keeping him distracted. He knew when he stopped to think about all that had happened—about who they’d lost—he would crumble. 

When they arrived in the valley, the work was quick and furious. The Inquisition’s Inner Circle dispersed to deal with various jobs. Varric awakened shortly before they arrived, and he was whisked away with the healers. Solas went to assist them. Cullen and Cassandra were rallying the remaining soldiers to coordinate defensive measures and search efforts. Blackwall, Bull, and the Chargers went to help erect shelters. Dorian wasn’t sure where Leliana and Josephine had disappeared to, and he’d not yet seen Vivienne or Sera.

An eerie heaviness hung over the entirety of the battered encampment. They’d escaped with their lives, but they’d lost so much. They’d lost homes, friends, and loved ones. The one man capable of closing rifts stood fearlessly before an impossible enemy and effectively committed suicide in order to save them all. And Dorian had just left him there to do it alone—

No. He couldn’t go there yet. Not yet.

Finally, Dorian saw the face he’d been searching for. Dani was much less bloody. Her mess of beautiful curls was tied back again, and the gash on her forehead had a strange sort of dressing. She was pale, and sweat soaked her forehead as she worked on cleaning the wound on her arm. Or was she cleaning it?

“Dani?” Dorian jogged to her. “Why are you doing that yourself?”

She stopped her work and took a deep breath—obviously trying not to vomit. Reddened eyes looked up at the mage.

“There are a lot of injuries worse than mine,” she sighed. “I figured I could handle this much on my own…I might have been a bit overconfident.”

“Give me that. You look a bit green around the edges,” Dorian took the needle from Dani’s trembling hand.

“I’m feeling a bit green,” she answered honestly. “They make that look so easy in the movies.”

“Movies?” Dorian asked, mostly just as a distraction.

“M-moving pictures,” Dani shivered from head to toe as the needle pierced her skin again. She took a steadying breath. “I’ll have to show you sometime.”

Dorian opened a bottle of alcohol with his teeth and poured it over the wound. Dani hissed in a breath and clenched her teeth.

“Sorry,” Dorian frowned as he worked. “You’re doing very well. I’m almost done.”

Dani opened her eyes to see a green glow as Dorian used his magic to help the process. When he was finished, she moved her shoulder up and down.

“Thank you. Whatever you just did really helped the pain,” she gave a sad smile.

“I’m glad I could be of assistance,” Dorian responded quietly, sitting on the cot beside her. “I am a necromancer. My knowledge of the healing arts is limited, but I can at least do that much.”

Dani rummaged through her giant bag and pulled out a silver tin. Inside was a greenish salve. She began coating the burned portion of her left arm with it.

“Here, allow me,” Dorian gently took over for her. 

He gingerly applied the sticky substance and wrapped her arm in loose gauze before finishing with healing magic.

“Thank you,” Dani whispered.

She dug in her bag once more and found a small, L-shaped contraption. Placing it to her lips, she squeezed it and inhaled deeply.

“What is that?” Dorian frowned.

“It’s called an inhaler,” Dani sighed. “I have asthma—um—my lungs are weak. They get irritated easily, and it’s hard for me to breathe sometimes. With all the running and the smoke…”

Dorian’s frown deepened, and a crease formed between his brows.

“And you need this to breathe when that happens?” He took the inhaler and examined it.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Sometimes I can deal without it, but if it’s bad enough, that helps open things back up. I used it once on the way up the mountain. I just felt like I could use one more dose to head off anything bad.”

Dorian looked very troubled as he handed the device back to her.

“How long will that last?” Worry coated his words.

“I don’t know,” Dani shook her head. “A few months, probably…provided we don’t get trapped in too many more burning buildings.”

“We need to speak with the healers,” Dorian sighed. “We don’t know how long you’ll be here. We need to make sure we have something comparable when that runs out.”

“Not a bad idea,” Dani nodded, staring at the inhaler. 

The thought hadn’t really struck Dani that she’d be in this world that long, but it was very possible. She took a shuddering breath.

“You’ve been incredible. You know that?” Dorian murmured. “Most people wouldn’t be handling all this that well.”

Dani didn’t answer. She couldn’t. She pressed her lips together and fought valiantly against the tears that poured down her cheeks. Dorian opened his mouth to speak again, but urgent shouting in the camp cut him off.

“It’s him! The Herald survived!” Someone called.

“Move back! Where are the healers?” Cullen shouted.

Dani and Dorian glanced at one another before leaping to their feet and racing out. Sure enough, the Herald was bruised and bloody, being half dragged into the camp by Cullen, but he was alive.

“Oh, thank God,” Dani whispered, covering her mouth with her hands. Tears of joy flowed freely.

Dorian ran forward and took Alistair’s other arm, looping it over his shoulders. He looked as though he could cry as well as he helped Cullen carry the half-conscious man to the healers.

Dani breathed a sigh of relief…Alistair lived. They all made it.

~~~

Dani sat on a large outcropping on rock. Pieces of her gun lay before her. One at a time, she carefully lifted each piece and cleaned it thoroughly. Her hands shook both with cold and as a side effect of using the inhaler, but she ignored it. She needed a few moments to process everything that had befallen her. 

Back in the camp, weary voices had just championed Alistair for his bravery against the enemy. He deserved every voice—every note. Dani smiled thinking of the shy expression on his face as everyone sang to him. 

“It’s cold out here,” A deep voice spoke behind her, and Dani started slightly.

“Hi, Bull,” she smiled softly as she watched him approach. 

“Hey,” he leaned on the rock where she perched. “Why aren’t you by the fires?”

“The cold is oddly relaxing,” she answered softly, turning back to her work. “The chill helps me think.”

Bull nodded but didn’t speak. For a long time, the two of them remained in silence while Dani pieced her gun back together. Bull watched her carefully for a moment.

“So, this weapon of yours. Tell me more about it,” Bull switched gears. 

“Uh, it’s effective,” Dani chuckled. She explained some of the inner workings as she put the metal casing back together. Then she began loading the magazine. “It’s going to be a nice club here soon. I’ve only got about forty rounds left.”

“Let me see,” Bull motioned to the bullets, and Dani obliged. Bull turned the tiny piece of metal over in his fingers a few times, examining it. “And you say this is filled with powder?”

“Yeah,” Dani nodded. “It’s highly flammable. The pin hits the bullet, causing the powder to explode, and that propels the metal tip out of the gun. The casing falls out here, and with the right components, you can refill them.”

“That accounts for the noise,” Bull nodded, comprehending. “It seems like gaatlok.”

“I have no idea what that is…but sure!” Dani smirked.

“You should give this to Harrit,” Bull handed the bullet back to her. “I’d say he could get you something at least similar.”

“Provided I’m not a prisoner again when all this clears?” Dani laughed darkly.

“You’ll be a free woman if I’ve got anything to say about it,” Bull crossed his arms over his chest. “You showed yourself worthy of trust back there—we can all vouch for that. I know the boss will say the same.”

“Thanks, Bull,” Dani smiled at him.

“Don’t you people realize it’s cold? Or have you lost feeling?” A new voice spoke.

“Don’t be such a pansy, Krem,” Bull chuckled. 

Dani peeked around the large, horned man with curiosity in her eyes.

“Oh! You must be the girl from another world,” Krem held out a hand.

“Krem, this is Dani,” Bull motioned. Dani wiped the grease from her hand firmly grasped Krem’s forearm. “Dani, Cremisius Aclassi, my lieutenant.” 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Dani smiled brightly.

“I’ve heard good things,” Krem commented. “The chief said you did a great job back in Haven.”

“I think we were all just winging it,” Dani laughed bleakly, sliding her gun in a holster. 

“Some more successfully than others,” Krem chuckled. “But if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back over here to the fire with the sane people.”

Dani waved, and silence descended for a moment. 

“Krem’s a great guy. I’m lucky to have him as my second,” Bull mused. 

“Has he been passing long?” Dani asked without looking up.

“Noticed that, huh?” Bull laughed aloud. 

“I’m quick on the draw,” Dani smiled at her hands.

“Yeah,” Bull nodded with a smile. “Says he’s known his whole life. You should ask him about it sometime if you’re curious.”

“Nah,” Dani shook her head, staring off into the snowy darkness. “As long as he’s happy, that’s his business.” 

Bull raised an eyebrow and looked over at Dani. She rested her elbows on her knees and gazed off at nothing. Moonlight illuminated her pale face, and a sharp wind toyed with the ginger curls that escaped from the bun on her head. She was unlike most women Bull had encountered before—strong and beautiful, yet unassuming and respectful. Getting to know her more was going to be interesting. He sighed before tearing his gaze away.

“Well,” Dani stretched out her legs and gathered her bag before hopping down from the rock. “I think I should probably go thaw out a bit before I start losing extremities.”

“Not a bad plan,” Bull chuckled as he fell into step beside her.

They walked in silence until they reached the edge of the ring of light.

“Dani,” Alistair stood as the pair approached. 

She took a steadying breath. Ever since he’d arrived at the camp, the Herald had been either sleeping or nearly buried in people wishing to talk to him. This was the first time she’d seen him since they were separated in Haven. He was a little worse for wear, but Dani nearly cried all over again at just seeing him standing there. 

“Hey, Herald,” she whispered.

Without so much as a thought, Dani rushed forward and threw her arms around the thin elf. He laughed and returned her embrace warmly.

“It’s good to see you,” he murmured.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Dani pulled back and looked up at his face. “I thought you were…”

“Yeah, so did I,” Alistair flashed her a lopsided grin. “But we all made it. Everything’s going to be okay now.”

Dani only nodded. She knew if she said more, she’d burst into tears all over again. Alistair pulled her back into a hug before offering a place beside him at the fire.


	5. Skyhold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Inquisition arrives at Skyhold, and one member of the inner circle has words for Alistair. Dani won't sit idly by. Afterwards? They drink!
> 
> *mostly born from me wishing the Inquisitor had the option to tell Vivienne to shove it during this part of the game. XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own none of the songs referenced in this chapter. But they're awesome.

Skyhold had looked enormous when they first crested the snowy ridge, but standing in the courtyard just made it seem all the more impressive. Even though it had fallen into ruin, the fortress was formidable, and Dani could feel the power of ages from the very stones around her. It was a strange, electrifying hum she found hard to describe. 

Alistair had just been named the official leader of the Inquisition, and plans were being made to restore Skyhold as a safe haven and home. This is where the Inquisition would regain what it lost and continue to grow into a force that could stand against Corypheus and his armies. 

Dani wandered aimlessly, enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin and the smell in the air. It was…ancient—like old books and leather in the antique stores she used to visit…only older.

“The events of Haven could have been prevented. You realize that, yes?” A grating female voice caught Dani’s ear, tearing her out of her comfortable thoughts. “You could have prevented it.”

Dani looked over to see a dark skinned woman facing off with Alistair. The Inquisitor stood with his arms folded over his chest and a calm expression on his lips. 

“We lost a lot of good people,” he spoke softly. “Now is hardly the time for placing blame.”

“Now is precisely the time to place blame and take responsibility, my dear,” The woman answered forcefully.

Dani felt a spark light up in her heart as she quickly made her way to the pair.

“Excuse me. Is there a problem?” She mimicked Alistair’s stance.

“Not at all,” The woman seemed annoyed by Dani’s presence. “The Inquisitor and I were simply discussing things that could have been done to prevent the tragedy at Haven.”

“Oh,” Dani nodded. “Because from where I was standing, it sounded an awful lot like you were trying to blame him for what happened.”

“As leader of the Inquisition, His Worship does hold a great deal of responsibility—”

“Oh, no, no,” Dani cut the woman off before she could finish. “See, Alistair wasn’t the one calling the shots in Haven. He was just the one who stood in front of the bad guy and saved your ass.”

“Young lady, there is no call for such foul language,” The woman appeared taken aback.

Dani took a step forward and dropped her arms.

“Oh, but there is,” Dani nodded, narrowing her eyes. “Alistair is a great man and a friend of mine. He’s one of the few who didn’t want me dead when I arrived, so I’ll not stand by and listen to some haughty bitch talk down to him. If you want to blame anyone for what happened in Haven, blame Corypheus and the Templars he turned against us.”

“My dear, do you know who I am?” The woman laid a hand on her chest and took another step back.

“No, and I don’t rightly care,” Dani tilted her head. “In case you hadn’t heard, I’m not from around here. Your political or social standing means less than a hill of beans to me since I couldn’t even tell you what country I’m in currently. I do know there’s not a single person forcing you to stay here. If you’re so dissatisfied with the way things are being run, the trail leading back to wherever you’re from is right out that gate.”

Dani motioned toward the gate without breaking eye contact with the woman. For a moment, neither of them spoke as they stared one another down. Finally, the woman sighed.

“For your information, my name is Madame Vivienne de Fer, and I could easily end your pathetic life with a snap of my fingers,” Madame Vivienne raised her hand as a show.

“Oh, I would really love to see you try that.” 

Dani heard Dorian speak. She turned to see him standing with his arms crossed beside Alistair. Solas stood on the other side with his staff in hand. Bull leaned on his great axe, and Varric held Bianca, ready to fire. Dani turned back to Vivienne and shrugged.

“Up to you,” she smirked. “But I’m feeling pretty safe right now.”

Vivienne surveyed the group, chewing the inside of her cheek, and then she turned and stalked away with a look of disgust. Dani spat on the ground before turning back to Alistair.

“You okay?” She tilted her head.

“Fine,” he sighed. “She’s got a point, actually. Even if I wasn’t officially—”

“I’m just going to stop you right there,” Dani held up a hand. “You had no way of predicting Haven. And when it happened, you nearly killed yourself to save your people. I don’t want you to ever feel like you could have done more or done anything differently. You’re a hero, and that’s why you’re the Inquisitor now.”

“She’s right, Boss,” Bull grunted.

“Personally, I think a drink is in order,” Dorian looped his arm around Alistair’s shoulders. “To fighting ‘bad guys’ and putting pompous ne’er-do-wells in their place.”

“That’s something I’ll happily drink to,” Varric chuckled. “Come on, Ginger. You deserve one too after that display.”

Dani laughed and allowed Varric and Dorian to pull her to what passed for a tavern.

“I think this is actually going to be a small armory once it’s all said,” Alistair looked around the dusty room. “Cassandra’s office will be up there. The building across the way is going to be the tavern when reconstruction is done on it.” 

“As long as there’s beer, I don’t really care where we sit,” Bull commented as he found a seat. 

“No standards whatsoever,” Dorian sighed dramatically. 

“Aww, missing your slaves, Tevinter?” Bull shot back. 

“For your information, I didn’t have slaves,” Dorian crossed his arms over his chest. “I had very well-paid servants, and yes. I miss them very much. Not a single person has offered to rub my feet since my arrival.”

Dani giggled, and Dorian shot her a wink. 

“Alright,” Varric and Alistair joined the table with five pints. “A round on the Inquisitor.”

The stuff they passed Dani was so dark it was almost black, and she stared apprehensively for a moment. 

“Oh, Ginger, don’t tell me you don’t drink,” Varric looked horrified for a moment.

“I do,” she answered timidly, sniffing at the mug. “I’m just not entirely sure what I’m getting myself into here.”

“Only the finest Ferelden beer you’ll ever taste!” Varric held up his mug before throwing it back. 

“Oooh, yeah, beer really isn’t my thing,” Dani grimaced lightly. 

“I said the same thing, but then I tried this stuff,” Dorian motioned to his own pint. “It lacks any sort of class, but it holds a certain charm.”

“If you say so…” Dani looked more than a little uncertain. 

“Come on, Ginger,” Bull laughed heartily. “Don’t wuss out on us now!”

Dani opened her mouth and glared at Bull incredulously. 

“ _I_ , my good sir, am _no_ wuss,” she puffed. “I am a magnificent lightweight, but I’m not a wuss.”

With one last look at the suspicious-looking drink, Dani turned up the pint. Before she got one gulp down, she choked, sending the dark liquid flying across the table. The entire circle erupted with laughter.

“Whoa!” Varric moved his beer and ducked. 

“ _That_ is terrible,” Dani shivered from head to toe and looked as though she might vomit. She jumped up and looked around with a bitter expression on her face. “God, I need something to chase that.”

“Here,” Alistair tossed her a small bag. Then, he sat, wiping at the tears in his eyes.

Dani pulled a piece of dried meat from the bag and popped it in her mouth. After a few minutes, her face turned a less vivid shade of green, and she returned to her seat.

“Thank you,” she shivered one more time and pushed the mug away. “I think I’ll stick to vodka and rum—wine if I’m feeling fancy.”

“Suit yourself!” Bull laughed boisterously as he grabbed Dani’s beer. 

“I’d be leery of that,” Dani pursed her lips. “Might be a little snot added. I’m pretty sure I shot some through my nose because I still smell it, and it burns like Hell.”

Any composure the group had regained was lost immediately, and they all nearly rolled with laughter while Dani sat with a look of smug irritation. 

“I’m glad to see you’re having a good time, Inquisitor,” Cassandra’s thick accent cut through the merriment. “I’ve a note from Cullen. He wishes to speak with you about it later.”

“You look like you could use a drink, Seeker,” Varric smirked.

“Ugh,” Cassandra rolled her eyes and marched away. 

Dani stared after her, ducking slightly behind Dorian as she did so.

“She’s a good woman, the Seeker,” Varric nodded thoughtfully. Dani sat back up and gazed at the dwarf. “She comes off all hard and scary, but she’s got a good heart somewhere under all that steel.”

Dani’s mouth pulled into a small smile as she looked back at the door Cassandra exited. 

“What’s in the note, boss?” Bull frowned at Alistair.

“There’s going to be a memorial for those lost in Haven tomorrow morning,” The elf’s stunning green eyes flitted sorrowfully across the page. “There are so many names on this list…”

Dorian reached out and placed a hand on Alistair’s arm as he took another swig of his beer. 

“I guess we’ll be staying for that, then,” Bull mumbled, rubbing his forehead.

“Yeah,” Alistair laid the paper down and put his hands on his mug. “Yeah, we’ll head out after.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Dani’s brows drew together. “Where are you going?”

“That’s right, we haven’t been out since you got here. Have we?” Alistair’s lopsided smile tugged at his lips. Dani shook her head.

“There are other rifts like the one you came through all over the world,” Dorian informed her. “The Inquisitor is the only one with the ability to close them. So along with helping the local populous, we tangle with a lot of demons.”

“Our focus thus far has been in the Hinterlands. That’s where we found you,” Alistair leans forward. “Now that the mage-Templar fighting has been dealt with, there’s a lot of clean up to handle.”

“And…you’re all going?” Dani’s tone nearly broke every heart at the table.

“I’m sitting this one out, Ginger,” Varric smiled reassuringly. He reached across the table to pat her hand. “I’ll teach you to play Wicked Grace so we can have a game when they get back.”

“Okay,” Dani smiled. 

The tiniest trace of sadness still hung in her eyes as she looked to Alistair, Dorian, and Bull, but she shoved it down quickly. The Inquisitor and his team had work to do. Having a houseguest wasn’t going to change that. It would be selfish of her to expect anything else.

Suddenly, a loud noise caused them all to start. All eyes instantly turned to Dani, and her gaze fell to her lap.

“Ginger,” Varric looked a little terrified. “Why is your pocket singing?”

_“It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you! There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do! I bless the rains down in Africa! It’s gonna take some time to do the things we never have.”_

Slowly, Dani reached in her pocket and retrieved her phone.

“That was unexpected,” her shocked expression remained the same as she touched the lighted screen. “Oh…it seems I’m missing a doctor appointment tomorrow. That was my calendar reminding me.”

“So…your little sending crystal sings to you to remind you of appointments?” Dorian arched an eyebrow. 

“Yes,” Dani nodded, sitting the little rectangle on the table with a sigh. “It used to sing to me when I got messages and calls too. I forgot I had it in my pocket today. I’ve been keeping it charged with my solar battery. Not sure why, really. Force of habit, I guess.”

Sensing her melancholy, Varric spoke up again.

“You’ll have to show me more of these songs while the gang is out.”

“Yeah,” Dani beamed brightly. “That sounds like fun.”

“No fair!” Dorian whined. “I want to hear too!”

“Would you like me to play you some now?” Dani laughed.

“Yes,” Dorian nodded, still pouting slightly.

“Okay. Hang on,” Dani continued smiling as she slid her finger across the screen. 

After a moment, bright guitar notes began flowing from the small device. Voices followed soon.

“What’s this one? I like it,” Bull nodded along with the tune.

“It’s called ‘Send Me On My Way,’” Dani giggled. “It’s one of my favorites.”

“Play something with a little more attitude next,” Dorian eyed her with a sly grin. “I want to dance!”

“Dance?” Alistair laughed.

“Of course! Tomorrow is promising to be horribly depressing, so why not dance today?” Dorian stood and pulled Dani to her feet despite her light protests. “Feel free to cut in.”

He shot a wink at Alistair, and Dani giggled as a blush lit up the elf’s ears.

“You could have just asked _him_ to dance,” Dani whispered with a smirk as they twirled away. 

A look of fear and shock crossed Dorian’s eyes for half a second before he glossed over it with a brilliant smile.

“And miss such wonderful company as yours? I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Yeah, okay,” Dani laughed, and then her grin turned accusatory. “But I’m on to you, mage boy.”

“My dear, Dani, I have no idea what you mean,” Dorian shook his head, unable to fully hide the smile in his eyes as he glanced back at the table.

“Uh-huh,” Dani giggled again.


	6. Coming to Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani begins coming to terms with the loss of her old life. The Inquisition comes to terms with the losses at Haven, and Dani says goodbye to her friends as the Inquisitor, Dorian, Solas, and Bull leave for a mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs aren't mine. "The Parting Glass" is beautiful. If you want to listen to it, look up the version by Ed Sheeran.

Later that night, Dani sat alone on the battlements.

_“Where are you now? Are you lost? Will I find you again? Are you alone? Are you afraid? Are you searching for me? Why did you go? I had to stay. Now I’m reaching for you. Will you wait? Will you wait? Will I see you again?”_

The slow, beautiful melody played through the speakers of the tiny device at Dani’s side. She sighed and blinked back tears. She’d come up to the battlements to look at the stars, but they were covered in a thick layer of clouds.

Two weeks had passed since the events at Haven. The Inquisition was healing. It was growing stronger.

Those were good things, yet Dani couldn’t shake the melancholy that settled on her heart. She’d been in this world for two weeks, and she was adjusting fantastically—just like everyone else was adjusting. But there was no end in sight. No one had mentioned a possible means for getting her back home. 

Granted, everyone had been a little busy. Getting the future girl back home was fairly low on the priority list—behind recovering from Haven, building a new home, finding survivors, finding the ones who did this, and beating the guy trying to destroy the world.

It wasn’t as though Dani had much to return home to. For as long as she could remember, it had just been her and her dad. Her mother left when she was little—Dani couldn’t even remember what she looked like. She’d grown up a solitary child. She was quiet and kept to herself in school. She did the same thing on the job now, and that led to a very poor social life.

Still, adjusting to this vastly different life was difficult.

“Sad. Lonely. I wonder if I’ll ever see home again,” A soft voice brought her out of her thoughts.

“Hey, Cole,” Dani smiled up at him. 

“I don’t know the answers you need. Don’t know how to help,” he crouched beside her.

“I’ll be okay, Cole,” Dani patted the cold stone beside her, offering him a seat. “Thank you for checking on me.”

“You were alone. Sad. I wanted to see if I could make the sadness go away. But I can’t.”

“Sometimes the sadness needs to stay a while,” Dani said softly, peering out at the snow-covered landscape. “Then, you accept it. You heal, and the sadness goes away on its own.”

Cole appeared during the chaos of Haven. He said he was there to help—and help, he did. According to Solas, Cole was a spirit. Some wanted him banished or killed, but after speaking with him, Alistair had decided to allow him to stay. Dani was glad. The strange boy offered her an odd comfort. She enjoyed talking with him.

“That doesn’t make much sense,” Cole frowned.

Dani laughed.

“Maybe not, but the truth doesn’t always make sense.”

“Those are wise words,” Dani jumped when a new voice entered the conversation. Solas sat on her other side with his legs crossed. 

“Hello, Solas,” Dani smiled.

“Wise. Strong,” Cole muttered softly. “Why do you consider her odd?”

Solas cleared his throat and chuckled lightly.

“Cole, would you mind giving us a moment?” He requested.

“A moment. Yes. A moment is not such a long time,” he nodded, and then he was gone.

“Weirds me out when he does that,” Dani laughed, shaking her head.

“You get along well with Cole—much better than most people here. He is quite fond of you,” Solas watched her face for a reaction.

“I’m fond of him too. He makes me laugh,” Dani answered. “He’s easy to get along with. And talking to him gets easier once you start learning how he thinks.”

“Not many take the time. He is a spirit, after all,” Solas continued to watch her from his peripheral vision.

“Yes, but he’s not so different from us, really,” Dani smiled softly. “He’s got thoughts and feelings just like we do. He wants to help, and he tries to understand us.”

“Most spirits do. It is the people who do not take the time to understand them,” Solas looked up, satisfied.

“And demons?” Dani tilted her head.

“Demons are spirits whose purpose has been corrupted,” Solas stated darkly. “They’ve been twisted from their original nature, and that contradiction turns them into a horrid reflection of themselves.”

“That’s terrible,” Dani frowned. “Can we help them?”

“Once they’ve been corrupted…it is hard to say,” Solas shook his head. “I have never been confronted with a demon that did not immediately attack me, so I’m not certain of whether they can be saved or not. I suppose it would depend greatly on what it was that distorted them in the first place.”

“You said you were going to consult spirits to find a way to get me home,” Dani tilted her head to look up at him. “Does that mean you know many of them?”

“I do. I have spent long years dreaming and encountering spirits in the Fade,” he answered.

“And they’re your friends?” Dani smiled quizzically. 

“Yes,” Solas nodded. “Do you think that strange?”

“No. If they’re as easy to talk to as Cole, I can see why you’d want to be friends with them,” Dani responded quietly.

Solas took a moment to articulate his next words. This conversation had already taken him quite off guard. Before he could speak, Dani did.

“My dad taught me to navigate by the stars when I was lost,” she said absently, staring up at the cloudy sky. “This really isn’t my world. None of the stars are the same…”

Solas was silent, unable to formulate a suitable answer.

“I’m never going home, am I?” Dani whispered.

“None of the spirits I’ve consulted are sure what happened to you,” Solas finally replied. “Even if we could find a way to open a rift back into the Fade, opening another one into any parallel world—much less the correct one—would be nearly impossible.”

Dani nodded, staring down at her lap. Solas sighed as he watched her. He would have given anything to be able to comfort her—to give her the answers she desired, but he couldn’t. He too had awakened to find himself trapped in a new world. He knew her pain all too well, and he was powerless against it. However, he was desperate to stop her pain at least for a moment.

A few moments of silence passed before Solas lifted his hands. They began glowing lightly, and he moved them outward, as though he was wiping something away. Dani looked up and gasped. 

“You can see the stars much better now,” Solas said softly.

“You…you moved the clouds for me?” Dani asked with a look of wonder.

“It is a simple spell, really,” Solas answered with a shrug.

“Thank you,” Dani breathed, stepping forward.

Sure enough, the clouds were gone, and the most breathtaking sky Dani had ever seen filled her vision. It was a new moon, so the stars had no competition in the inky black oblivion. They shimmered and danced in a way that made her heart sing, caressing the snowy landscape with their glittering light.

“Solas, it’s beautiful!” Dani smiled as she turned back to the stoic elf. “Thank you.”

“You are most welcome, Lady Danette,” he offered a slight bow.

“I was away for longer than a moment,” Cole’s voice sounded slightly ashamed as he appeared between the two. “I got distracted in the kitchen.”

Dani laughed after she recovered from her shock.

“Did you find something to eat?” She asked him, still giggling.

“No?” Cole looked at her as though she’d grown another eye.

“Well, that’s what most people do in the kitchen,” Dani shook her head.

“The cook and a serving girl fell down. Their clothes had fallen off. I tried to help them, but they got upset with me,” Cole explained with a troubled expression.

Dani pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Solas stood and stretched, hiding the smile on his face. Cole glanced between the two of them in confusion.

~~~

Skyhold was already well awake when the first rays of dawn peeked over the snowy mountains, but it was eerily quiet. A memorial for those lost at Haven was being conducted. 

First, Alistair made a short speech, and then Cullen called out the names of the deceased. As each name was called, a loved one would step forward and say a few words for the fallen. With that finished, a small fire would be lit. It began long before the sun appeared, but before long, the entire lower courtyard blazed as brightly as the colorful morning light.

On the wall of the upper courtyard, Dani leaned with Bull, Dorian, Solas, and Varric. A large crowd gathered with them, looking down—those who hadn’t lost loved ones but mourned Haven nonetheless. 

Tears streamed down Dani’s face. The only people she’d known in Haven stood around her or on the platform below, but her heart chipped more and more with each broken word of grief from a wife, a son, a brother, a friend. She had lost nothing in Haven, but she wept for those who lost everything. 

When the final fire was lit, Cullen recited a verse from the Chant of Light, and then there was silence. A few people reluctantly began to disperse, but Dani felt something was missing. She longed to contribute something—a gift to those who remained. 

Almost without thinking, she began singing an old Scottish song. At the sound of her voice, many eyes turned upward to where she stood, but they quickly fell back to the memorial fires. Beside her, Varric placed a hand on her shoulder, and Dorian took her hand in his. The slow, simple melody rang out, echoing off the stones around them until any eyes that remained dry were filled with tears.

“Of all the money that ere I had,  
I spent it in good company.  
And all the harm that ere I’ve done,  
Alas, it was to none but me.  
And all I’ve done for want of wit  
To memory now I can’t recall.  
So fill to me the parting glass  
Goodnight, and joy be with you all.

“Of all the comrades that ere I had  
They are sorry for my going away.  
And all the sweethearts that ere I had  
They would wish me one more day to stay.  
But since it falls unto my lot  
That I should rise and you should not,  
I’ll gently rise, and I’ll softly call,  
‘Goodnight, and joy be with you all.’

“A man may drink and not be drunk.  
A man may fight and not be slain.  
A man may court a pretty girl  
And perhaps be welcomed back again.  
But since it has so ought to be  
By time to rise and a time to fall  
Come fill to me the parting glass  
Goodnight, and joy be with you all.

“Goodnight, and joy be with you all.”

With the final note, silence fell again, and the crowd dwindled until only the members of the inner circle remained circled around the dying flames. Only when the last one was extinguished did they move to begin their respective days. 

~~~

Morning mists still swirled around Skyhold as the Inquisitor’s company prepared to depart. Dani stood with them, making sure they were properly equipped. At the moment, she was straightening a crease in Alistair’s light armor. 

“Promise me you’ll be careful?” Dani lifted her dark green eyes for only a second to meet Alistair’s electric green gaze before turning them back to her work.

“I swear to you, Danette McLaughlin, we will return to you as quickly and as safely as possible,” Alistair smiled warmly at her. 

Dani laughed, sending a puff of white into the chilly air. She embraced Alistair briefly before moving on to Iron Bull. She circled him, ensuring all his armor was on securely. As warriors of various classes, they were fully capable of correctly donning armor, but they all knew Dani needed this, so they didn’t protest when she insisted on helping. When she’d inspected the rest of the party in the same way, she gave a satisfied nod. 

“You’ll write?” Dani crossed her arms, staring at the ground. 

“Every day,” Bull answered her. 

“Pinky swear,” Dani stepped forward and held up her hand. 

“Every single day, Ginger,” Bull chuckled, wrapping his massive pinky finger around her tiny one. 

“All of you,” Dani held out her other hand to Dorian. “I want to hear from all of you.”

“Of course, Dani,” Dorian laughed in spite of the deadly serious expression on the young woman’s face. “Though, don’t you think you’ll get tired of hearing our mundane daily activities after a while?”

“You have no idea what living with social media was like,” Dani’s eyes widened as though she was remembering something awful. “People would post pictures of their morning latte for all the world to see…every day…”

Dani cleared her throat, coming back to the present time. 

“No, I think daily updates will be refreshingly familiar,” she grinned.

When Alistair and Solas had both made their pinky pledges to write her, they mounted their horses and rode off toward the main gate. Dani sighed, watching them go. She didn’t want them to leave—she didn’t want to stay in Skyhold with them gone. Nothing about the situation made her happy. Even after they disappeared down the long tower stairs, she remained, staring after them.

“Lonely, sad, afraid—I don’t want them to go. They don’t want to leave you either,” Cole appeared at Dani’s side and patted her arm.

“Hey, Cole,” Dani smiled in spite of herself. 

“I can help,” he insisted in his sweet way. “You won’t be alone if you don’t want to be.”

“Thank you,” Dani reached out and squeezed his hand. “How about some breakfast?”

“I don’t eat,” Cole looked disappointed. 

“That’s right,” Dani sighed. “Well, how about I get some breakfast, and then we can see about making ourselves useful with the rebuilding? You can help me not be lonely, and we can help get Skyhold tip top before the others get back.”

“Yes,” Cole nodded. “I think I would like that very much.”

Dani smiled brightly as she turned from the gate and headed to the kitchens. Cole trudged along beside her anxiously. She was sad Alistair and the others were gone, but she had no idea when they’d be back, so there was no sense in moping—especially with so much work to be done. She would just have to keep herself busy and watch for those daily letters from her friends.


	7. Passing the Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Alistair and the others out on a mission, Dani takes time to get to know some of the other faces in Skyhold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More songs mentioned. None of them mine. Sensing a theme yet?

Cassandra walked around to the training field. She wanted to get in a bit of sword practice before dinner. The Inquisitor and his team had been gone for three days, and reconstruction was going well, but Cassandra needed a break. She needed to hit things. However, what she saw when she rounded the corner caused her to stop in her tracks and raise an eyebrow. 

The girl from another world was standing before one of the spinning practice dummies. Her blazing red hair was tied back, and she wore a strange, vibrantly colored outfit. Cassandra settled herself against a post to watch and see what would happen.

The young woman dropped into an attack stance and then began knocking the spinning wood with her hands. She ducked as one spoke came at her head and then jumped to avoid the one aimed at her shins. In the air, she kicked out and flipped backward. When she landed, she shot forward and began a series of attacks and blocks with her arms again. Finally, with a loud cry, she raised one foot in a sweeping motion and connected hard with the center pole.

“You’re quite good at that,” Cassandra remarked. The young woman stood straight and laughed sheepishly. “Danette, wasn’t it?”

“Ah—Dani is fine,” she replied awkwardly. It was obvious she was uncomfortable with Cassandra’s presence—the Seeker wished to change that.

“That form—what was it? I’ve never seen anyone fight like that,” Cassandra acted as though she wasn’t aware of Dani’s discomfort.

“Uh…it’s a mishmash of a few different types of karate—it’s a martial art form dedicated to fighting or defending without a weapon,” Dani answered. Some of the awkwardness left her tone as she smiled, thinking of her art. “I really just learned it for self defense and as a way to keep myself fit. I trained under a few different masters and combined their teachings to make a form that works to my strengths.”

“And what are those strengths?” Cassandra stepped forward with her arms crossed. 

“I’m not very strong, but I’m quick, and I’m flexible,” Dani looked at the practice dummy. “If I can use an enemy’s momentum to my advantage, I can use that speed and flexibility to hit them with attacks they aren’t expecting.”

“Can you teach me?” Cassandra smirked.

“Sure!” Dani grinned. “Though you’re quite a bit stronger than me, I’m sure. You might do better with a different style, but we can figure that out later. You’re also going to want to lose some of that armor. You won’t get full range of motion with it.”

“Do I have to get down to my underthings?” The Seeker eyed Dani’s outfit. 

“What?” Dani looked down at herself. “Oh! No, these are workout clothes I had in my bag. I’ve only got two sets of regular clothes, and they’re both hanging up to dry right now. I guess shorts and a tank top do look a little strange to you all, huh?”

“No one has fitted you for clothing yet?” Cassandra’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought perhaps you simply preferred your own. Go see Josephine later. She’ll make sure you’re properly outfitted.”

“Okay,” Dani smiled brightly. “Yeah, this is a little chilly. That’s partly why I’m out here working out. Figured I’d stay warmer if I was moving.”

“A good plan,” Cassandra chuckled as she removed her plating. 

“Not as good as it sounds,” Dani shivered, and Cassandra laughed. 

“I owe you an apology,” The warrior came closer to Dani. 

“What for?” Dani cocked her head to the side.

“I am afraid I misjudged you terribly,” Cassandra stared at her feet. “Even after the events of Haven, I thought you strange and weak. I see now that I was wrong about you. I would very much like to start over if you will forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Dani beamed. “I’d think I was a little strange too if I were you. Actually, that part probably isn’t wrong…”

Dani trailed off, staring vaguely into the distance with her eyes narrowed. Finally, she shook her head and turned back to Cassandra.

“Ah, well, my strange just makes me more fun!” 

“I’m starting to see that,” Cassandra laughed. “Now. How about this technique of yours?”

“Okay. Well, start basic,” Dani moved to stand directly in front of Cassandra. “Stance should be easy enough. I don’t think it will be much different from your sword fighting.”

“Do you use any weapons?” Cassandra mimicked Dani’s stance as she spoke. 

“Only my gun,” Dani shook her head. “I’m hoping Alistair will teach me archery when he gets back.”

“I am sure the Inquisitor will happily oblige,” Cassandra smiled warmly. “He seems to be quite fond of you.”

“Yeah. That’s just him, though. I’ve only met one person he wasn’t a complete sweetheart to, and she deserved every bit of his polite sass,” Dani’s face darkened at some memory. “Now, put one of your hands at your hip like this…and punch out with the other. Just be careful not to hyperextend your elbow. Let the power come up from your hips. Like this—ha!”

“Vivienne. I don’t know why the Inquisitor brought her on,” Cassandra frowned like she smelled something foul. Then, she smirked. “I heard you put her in her place, though. She was whining to Josephine about it for hours.”

“Yeah? Awesome,” Dani giggled mischievously. “Lead with the flat of your fingers. You don’t want to hit with your knuckles alone—that’s a great way to break them.”

“Josephine would probably disagree with you,” Cassandra laughed lightly. Then, her tone softened into concern. “How are you holding up? This cannot be easy for you—especially with the Inquisitor gone.”

“Yeah,” Dani sighed. “I’m just keeping myself as busy as possible. Dorian, Alistair, Bull, and Solas make up almost all of my friends, so watching them go was hard. They’ve all kept their promise to write me daily, though, so that helps. And them being gone has given me a chance to get to know the rest of you better.”

“Indeed. I am glad I found you today,” Cassandra smiled as she continued her punches.

“Me too,” Dani grinned, using her hands to shape Cassandra’s form. “And otherwise, I’m trying to balance missing my old life and accepting that I’m not getting it back. For better or worse, this is my home now, and I’ve got to get used to that.”

“We will all be here to help you make it your home. Please know that,” Cassandra’s expression turned sad. “I cannot imagine what you’ve had to endure.”

“Eh, life just handed me a box of lemons,” Dani sighed. “Handed us all a big box of them at Haven.”

“So you’re making lemonade?” Cassandra chuckled. “For us all?”

“Nah, I’ll make grape juice and let you all wonder how I did it,” Dani clicked her tongue. Cassandra cocked her head to the side before laughing boisterously. 

“I definitely cheated myself by not talking with you sooner,” Cassandra shook her head.

Dani smiled and held up her hands in front of her chest.

“Aim here. You’re going to want to hit your opponent’s weak points. Since I’m not wearing armor, that’s the center of my chest and my neck. Face shots are okay, but if poorly executed, they won’t halt an attack. Break the sternum or get in a neck shot, though, and they’re down for good.”

“You are far more ruthless than you appear, Dani,” Cassandra chortled. 

“That’s half the fun. They never see me coming,” Dani winked. “Work on those punches for a while, and then we’ll move on to forward kicks if you want. I’ll be over here sparring with this dummy.”

Cassandra nodded her agreement, and then she continued the repetitive punches. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dani’s speed and agility in action again against the wooden practice dummy. She could see now why the Inquisitor and his group had grown so attached to the young woman. Dani was magnetic, and Cassandra was glad she finally swallowed her pride and talked with her.

~~~

“Oh, my goodness! I still can’t believe no one thought to get you clothes!” Josephine fussed. 

They’d been at this for at least an hour. Josephine had a tailor draw up a few designs for some pants and shirts, one pattern for some light armor, and a ridiculous amount of plans for dresses. Now, the tailor was measuring everything Dani had and draping various fabrics over her for color comparisons. 

“It’s really okay,” Dani answered, trying to stand still. “I’ve been fine with my jeans and t-shirts. My hoodie isn’t the warmest thing, but it’s been good enough.”

“Absolutely not,” Josephine huffed. “No matter the crisis, the Inquisition must be the best. How can we claim to be the best if we leave our people with only the clothes they wore in?”

“If you say so,” Dani guessed agreement was going to be the only acceptable answer here. 

Suddenly the door leading to the War Room opened, and Commander Cullen strode through the antechamber on his way to the main hall. For a brief second, he locked gazes with Dani, and she shot him a pleading look.

_Save me._

Even though she couldn’t say it aloud, the message was clear, and Cullen stopped.

“Ah! Lady McLaughlin, I was hoping I would find you,” he said smoothly—so smoothly Dani wondered if he really had been looking for her. “Josephine, if you’re almost finished here, may I steal her?”

“Of course, Commander,” Josephine nodded. She signaled to the tailor, and immediately all the cloth disappeared into a trunk. “It might take a couple of days, but I will let you know when your new clothes are available.”

“Take your time!” Dani smiled as she hurried to fall in beside Cullen.

The commander’s pace was quick, and Dani almost had to jog to keep up with his much longer strides. 

“Thank you,” Dani breathed as the door to Josephine’s office closed. “I don’t know how much more of that I could have withstood.”

“Even the sturdiest warriors quake in fear of Josephine when she’s fussing about something,” Cullen chuckled in response. “I’m impressed you didn’t break before I got you out.”

“What? Are you saying I don’t look tough?” Dani puffed out her chest, balling her hands into fists at her sides. “I am _fierce._ ”

“Oh, you’re terrifying,” Cullen laughed lightly.

“Good,” Dani released the breath she was holding in a sigh of feigned relief. “I don’t think I could have held that pose much longer.”

This time, Cullen laughed aloud, and Dani shot him a grin.

“Maker, you remind me of my little sister,” he shook his head, still chuckling.

“That’s just what every girl wants to hear,” Dani gave him a deadpan look.

“Maker’s breath! Forgive me,” Cullen turned to face her. “I hope I didn’t give you the wrong idea…”

The absolute horror and embarrassment on Cullen’s suddenly scarlet face was too much, and Dani burst out laughing, stopping to lean on her knees. 

“Your face!” Dani gasped through her laughter. “Oh, that was great. I’m sorry, Cullen. I couldn’t resist.”

“So you didn’t…” Cullen simpered apprehensively.

“No. I would be honored to have you for a big brother,” Dani smiled, still trying to control her giggles as she and Cullen started walking again. The relief was visible on his face as they stepped out into the sunlight.

~~~

Varric meandered around the building that would be the tavern. The major construction work was done, and cleanup was in full swing. As Varric approached, he heard a strange sort of music coming from the main hall, and he knew he’d found Dani.

Peeking his head in the door, he saw Dani shuffling and twirling with a broom to the strange music.

“You can dance if you want to. You can leave your friends behind. ‘Cause your friends don’t dance, and if they don’t dance, well they’re no friends of mine…”

Dani bobbed her head as she sang along. Varric leaned against the wall with a wide smile as he watched her. 

“Now this is a way I could get into doing chores,” he chuckled finally.

Dani froze and held the broom in front of her with a sheepish grin. 

“Heeeey, Varric!” She toyed with her hair. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough, Ginger,” he laughed. 

“Fabulous,” she grimaced, returning to her sweeping. 

“Hey, you promised to show me a few songs while the gang is out,” Varric sauntered over to her.

“I did, didn’t I?” Dani smirked and hopped over to the shelf where her phone was resting. She made a few gestures on the screen, and then nodded. “Ah, here we go.”

Bluesy guitar poured from the speakers, and Dani began nodding, swaying her hips to the beat.

“Yeeeah,” she laughed. “Sweet home, Alabama!”

“What is this?” Varric made a face. “People actually listen to this on purpose?”

“Varric!” Dani gasped. “Don’t speak such blasphemies against Skynyrd! Just close your eyes, and feel it.”

With a sigh, Varric closed his eyes. Almost instantly, he felt someone take his hands and begin moving with him. He opened his eyes to see Dani still dancing and dragging him along with her.

“Eyes closed, chest hair! Feel it!” Dani ordered.

Laughing, Varric did as he was told. 

“Relax those hips,” Dani giggled. “Loosen up a little!”

“Fine, fine!” Varric chuckled. “You’re so demanding!”

Soon enough, the appeal of the song began to sink in, and Varric was moving without Dani’s direction.

“There you go! Work it!” Dani laughed, releasing him and stomping her feet as she twirled away. She came back with another broom. “No, for real. Work it. We need to spiff this place up.”

“What’s going on in here?” Leliana’s thick accent caused both dancers to freeze. “Is this a private party, or is anyone invited?”

“Come on in, Nightingale! Ginger was just teaching me some moves,” Varric bobbed his way over and took Leliana’s hand.

“Varric, I had no idea you could dance,” Leliana giggled.

“Please,” Varric smiled incredulously. “I may be new to Ginger’s weird music, but any dwarf worth his stuff can dance.”

The music changed to a fast paced tempo, and the merriment continued, catching the attention of a few more passers by. Each new person grabbed a dust rag or mop to join the fun.

“867-5309!” Dani jumped up and down in place, bobbing her head.

“Why are the lyrics just numbers?” Cole asked curiously as he appeared next to her.

“It’s a phone number, Cole,” Dani laughed, grabbing his hands. Cole’s eyes widened as she pulled him around the floor. “It’s how people connected on those things.”

“Oh,” he answered, trying to match her steps. 

“So this is what everyone listens to where you’re from?” Sera peeked down from the second floor where she’d claimed a room.

“This is just one genre,” Dani paused to catch her breath. “These are hits from the 80s. That’s about a decade before I was born, so…thirty-ish years before the present time.”

“What other genres are there?” Curiosity bubbled in Leliana’s words.

“Oh, every decade has a specific sound. I was born in the 90s, and that’s a whole different feel. There’s country, rap, rock, alternative, hip/hop,” Dani listed. “Then there’s club music. I’ll have to break that out sometime when we have a real party.”

“I’m going to hold you to that, Ginger,” Varric chuckled. “This is fun!”

“I told you!” Dani poked at him with the broom. “And thanks to all the extra help, we’ve just about got this place whipped into shape! We might just have a tavern for the Inquisitor and his team to rest in when they get back.”

The group continued to grow throughout the rest of the evening until the tavern was completely set up and functional. From there, they moved on to the main citadel. Dani smiled, surveying the progress. She might not be a fighter like Alistair and the others, but she could be sure they’d have a comfortable place to come home to.

~~~

In the Hinterlands, the Inquisitor and his team lounged around a campfire. Solas stood nearby at the potion table, mixing together more healing draughts. The flutter of wings brought their attention to the scouts standing nearby. 

“I hope you three finished your letters to the princess,” Bull chuckled as he stood. “Looks like her news just arrived.”

Bull thanked the scout and handed her the parchment from his pocket. Alistair, Dorian, and Solas handed over their own letters. Bull broke the seal and unfolded the paper, smiling as he examined it. It was covered in Dani’s scratchy writing. Penmanship was not her forte. 

“It’s my turn to read!” Alistair snatched the letter away from Bull and scurried back to the fire. 

“Hey!” Bull grabbed at him, but the elf was too quick.

This trip to the Hinterlands had been difficult. The company took care of investigating and elvhen artifact with Solas, and they finished up with Horse-master Dennet. He would be joining them in Skyhold to take care of their stables. That was the easy part. They also had to eradicate a den of demon-possessed wolves, and they had their asses handed to them by a rift near the falls. They got it closed, but not without taking heavy damage.

The men were tired. They were sore, and they missed home. Letters from their ginger princess quickly became a welcome distraction and the highlight of their evenings. They took turns reading the letter aloud every day.

“Cole and I went for another walk today,” Alistair read. “I’m glad he likes to go with me because I’d probably get lost on my own. That’s all I need is to freeze to death a mile away from Skyhold.”

Chuckles waved through the group.

“She really does get along well with Cole,” Solas settled himself against a log. “I am glad of it. I think Cole needs her company as much as she needs his.”

“You’re probably correct about that,” Dorian chortled. Alistair continued reading.

“Work in the tavern is done. We danced while we cleaned. We’ll have to do it again when you’re home. I want to see Solas bust a move this time.”

“That sounds riveting,” Dorian teased.

“Hey, I’ll bet he’s got better skills than we’d give him credit for. It’s always the quiet ones that show up everyone else,” Bull eyed Solas suspiciously.

“It has been many years since I last danced. I doubt I know the moves Lady Danette is envisioning,” Solas tried to suppress a smile as he stared at the fire. 

“You’ll all have a nice place to sit for a drink when you get home,” Alistair squinted to decipher Dani’s writing. “I’m so ready for you to come home.”

“Trust us, Dani. We’re ready to be home too,” Dorian leaned back with his hands behind his head. 

“Please be safe. No more taking on rifts that are bigger than you, okay? Love, Dani.”

“I’d be afraid to come home with injuries,” Bull chuckled. He could almost see her peeking up from beneath that orange curtain, hands on her hips. “She’d kick our asses for it.”

“You are definitely correct about that,” A look of fear flashed across Dorian’s face. “She’s not very big, but I’d hate to be on the other end of her wrath.”

“Speaking of,” Alistair leaned to where he could see the scout beside the tents. “You did get those letters sent out, yes?”

“Aye, Ser,” The scout nodded.

“Wonderful,” Alistair relaxed. “Looks as though we shall live to see another day, gentlemen.”

All of them laughed, feeling much lighter than they had before.


	8. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani waits anxiously for the Inquisitor's team to return. Insomnia means a party with the Chargers, and the next day brings more surprises. An encounter with a demon during a walk with Cole raises more questions about Dani's purpose in Thedas. The answers might change everything.

“Kreeeem!” Dani whined, pounding on the door. “Krem, let me in!”

“Ginger, do you _know_ what time it is?” Krem yawned as he opened the door. 

“Three in the morning, last I checked,” Dani answered curtly. “ _Whoa_ , I forgot you have those.”

Krem had been sleeping, meaning his binding was off, and a rather impressive set of breasts was now on display in his shirtless state. 

“Oh! Sorry,” Krem hurriedly crossed his arms over his naked chest.

“Nah, it’s cool. I have a set of my own,” Dani waved dismissively as she pushed past Krem and into the room. “I just forget that you _also_ have some. And while we’re on the subject, I’m a little miffed that you’re a man and yours look better than mine.”

Krem laughed heartily as Dani perched on the end of his bed, examining her chest with disdain. Dani was always so unashamedly blunt about everything, and it was one of the many things Krem found endearing about her. He never had to wonder what she was thinking because it always poured straight out her mouth.

Pulling on a loose fitting shirt, Krem waited for the redhead to reveal the reason for her visit. This wasn’t the first time Dani had turned up at Krem’s room in the middle of the night. She was quite the insomniac, as it would turn out, and Krem was under strict orders from the chief to be sure Dani was well looked after. Even if he weren’t under orders, Krem would have been happy to stay up with Dani. She was never dull company. However, this was the first time she’d shown up quite this late. 

“What’s on your mind, Ginger?” Krem asked, plopping down beside her on the bed.

“I can’t sleep,” Dani sighed.

“I’m aware,” Krem chuckled. “What’s keeping that pretty head awake this time?”

“The guys are coming back tomorrow night,” Dani propped her chin on the heels of her hands. 

“That’s the plan, yes,” Krem couldn’t quite keep the amusement out of his voice.

“I’m very excited about it,” Dani beamed. “I’ve missed them.”

“And your excitement means neither of us will be sleeping tonight, correct?” Krem sighed through a smirk.

“Correct,” Dani grinned. 

“Well, Dalish has the cards, so there’s not much to do for entertainment here,” Krem’s eyes scanned the room. “Give me a second, and we’ll head down to the tavern.”

“Kay!” Dani threw herself back on the bed.

Within minutes, Krem was properly bound and clothed with his “well placed sock,” and the two of them were off. 

“Rocky!” Krem shouted, pounding on the dwarf’s door a moment later.

“What?” Rocky answered grumpily as he opened the door.

“Ginger can’t sleep,” Krem jerked a thumb at the sheepish-looking redhead. “Figured you might be interested in one last drinking night before the chief gets back.”

“Hell yeah!” Rocky slammed the door shut, but Krem and Dani knew he only did so in order to change clothes. 

~~~

Krem was _very_ drunk by the time the party stopped in the tavern. Even Cabbot had turned in for the night, so the Chargers had free reign of the place. Sera came down when she heard the commotion, and Cole popped in and out several times as curiosity got the better of him.

The sun was shining brightly just over the horizon when Dani finally managed to get Krem back to his room. He was singing loudly and off-key as she kicked the door closed and heaved him over to the bed.

As he continued to laugh and sing, Dani pulled the boots from Krem’s feet and then lifted the shirt over his head.

“Heeeeey, Ginger?” Krem hummed as Dani worked.

“Yes?” Dani giggled.

“You said you’re excited for the guys to come home,” Krem slurred happily. “Any one of them in particular you’re excited to see?”

“They’re all very special to me,” Dani smiled fondly. “All for different reasons.”

“Well, I happen to know one of them will be especially tickled to see _you_!” Krem reached up and booped Dani’s nose.

“What?” Dani swatted his finger away.

Instead of responding, Krem giggled mischievously and flopped back on the bed. Before Dani could press for more answers, the man was snoring softly. Dani smiled warmly and shook her head.

Working quickly, she undid the binding on Krem’s chest and slid a softer shirt over his body before pulling him up and tucking him under the covers. It wasn’t the first time she’d put him to bed this way, and Dani guessed it wouldn’t be the last.

Excitement still filled her as she slid out of Krem’s room to go find some breakfast. 

~~~

Dani left the Undercroft and headed out of the citadel. She’d been talking to Harrit about recreating her bullets. After drawing up schematics of her gun and discussing how it worked, he told her it would be a simple matter of figuring out how to replicate the powder. He said there was an arcanist on the way who should be able to help with that.

That was the second piece of good news she’d gotten that day. The first came in the form of a letter from Bull saying he and the others would be back within hours instead of late in the night as they originally thought. Nearly three weeks had passed since they left, so Dani was having a difficult time occupying her mind while waiting. 

“Where are you going?” Cole asked inquisitively. 

“Just for a walk,” Dani answered easily. His sudden appearances no longer startled her. “Would you like to join me?”

“I suppose,” Cole nodded. 

They climbed down the near endless stairs in the tower bridge and out into the forests surrounding Skyhold. For most of the journey, they were silent—Cole occasionally asked questions about reflections he saw flitting through Dani’s mind. Most people found his practice of hearing thoughts creepy, but Dani wasn’t bothered. It meant she didn’t have to find words for the complicated feelings swirling in her head. Cole heard them loud and clear. Dani smiled at the thought.

“Sadness. Emptiness. Alone,” Cole said suddenly. “I couldn’t help them—couldn’t save them.”

“Cole?” Dani looked at him questioningly. She wasn’t feeling any of those things. She noticed Cole staring off at the trees to the right. “Is someone over there?”

“Yes…” Cole’s voice was quiet—nervous. 

“What is it, Cole?” Dani frowned.

All at once, the area became very cold. The ground was covered in snow, so it was cold already, but this was an unnatural cold. Cole gripped his daggers tightly.

“Sad. Empty. Alone,” Cole repeated. “I tried to help. I couldn’t. Couldn’t keep them safe. It’s not like me. Was. But isn’t. I’m not that.”

Cole looked imploringly at Dani. She tried desperately to understand what he meant, but he was frantic.

Suddenly, a shrouded, hunched figure came through the trees. It floated a few feet off the ground, and the air became colder the closer it came.

“Sadness. Loneliness…Despair,” Cole muttered, backing away. “I’m not that. That’s not me.”

“Cole, is that…a demon?” Dani began backing away with him. 

“Yes,” Cole nodded.

The creature didn’t attack. It only floated there, seeming to assess the two wanderers. Dani’s mind raced. She had nothing to use to fight this thing, and running was no use if it decided to attack. For the moment, all she could do was stand and stare at it. 

“It was me, but now it isn’t. Now it’s wrong,” Cole insisted.

Dani gasped as realization hit her. She remembered something Solas once said.

“A demon is just a spirit whose purpose has been corrupted,” Dani whispered, cautiously stepping forward. 

This was a spirit—like Cole. Cole was her friend, and if something corrupted him, Dani would do anything to help turn him right again. She felt compelled to do the same for the spirit hovering before her. It was suffering, and that broke her heart.

“Pain. Sadness. Threat! Do not come closer!” Cole warned, raising his daggers.

“It’s all right,” Dani spoke loudly so that both spirits would hear her. She motioned for Cole to stay back. “I’m not a threat. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to understand.”

She edged closer to the hovering spirit, and in response, it reached out its hand. A mist of ice hit Dani squarely in the chest, and she gasped. It felt as though her heart and lungs were frozen in place. Just as quickly as it started, the freezing pain was gone. That was just a warning.

“Cold. Pain. Sorrow,” Cole spoke behind her. 

“It’s okay,” Dani repeated. She held out her hands and took another step forward. “What happened to you? Help me understand.”

The spirit raised its hand again, and Dani braced for another attack. When it didn’t come, she peeked her eyes open. The demon stayed completely still, just staring at her.

“I know this isn’t what you really are,” Dani whispered. “Help me understand. I want to help you.”

“Dani, get back!” She heard Alistair’s voice behind her.

The Inquisitor and his team were close when they heard the commotion. They entered the clearing to see Dani standing before a despair demon. She was completely unarmed. 

At Alistair’s exclamation, Dani looked over her shoulder. With her attention diverted, the demon rushed forward. Faster than the blink of an eye, it closed the distance to the young woman, and before any of them could react, it held the sides of her head in its boney fingers. Blue light swirled around them, and Dani went rigid as the demon lifted her off the ground.

“Dani!” Alistair roared, whipping out his bow.

“Don’t!” Solas rushed forward and gripped Alistair’s arm. “I do not know what’s happening. I have never seen anything like this. Attacking the demon now could provoke it to kill her.”

“Unless we drop it in one shot,” Dorian raised his staff.

“And what if it has connected with her somehow? Killing it could kill her,” Solas stood in front of Dorian pleadingly. “Wait until we know what’s happening.”

“And what if that damn thing’s sucking out her soul right now?” Bull growled. 

“Searching. Healing. Helping…that’s all it wanted,” Cole mumbled. “But they were gone. No help. Only pain. Only sorrow. Only death.”

“Cole, what is happening?” Solas kept his eyes on Dani and the demon.

“She wants to understand. No one wants to understand. There is only death—only threats,” Cole closed his eyes and shook his head. “But she is different. Listening. Understanding…helping.” 

“The demon…is it… _changing_?” Dorian gawked. 

The blue light grew brighter and swirled outward. It bathed the entire landscape in azure magic. 

“Not a demon. It was. It was wrong. Now it’s better,” Cole nodded. “She made it better.”

The light faded, and the shroud covering the despair demon melted away, leaving only a translucent spirit. It gently returned Dani to solid ground, and then it faded away.

“ _Ma serannas_.” 

The gentle whisper was felt more than heard. _Thank you_.

“It was a spirit of compassion,” Solas breathed in wonder.

“Dani?” Alistair walked toward the young woman, still standing with her back turned. 

As he approached, she swayed before crumbling into the snow.

“Dani!” Dorian and Alistair ran forward together.

“Crap,” Bull shook his head as he jogged to join them. 

Alistair reached Dani first and rolled her to her back. Her face was pale, but otherwise she appeared to be sleeping peacefully.

“Dani?” The Inquisitor brushed the snow from her face. “Dani, wake up. Say something.”

“Come on, Ginger,” Bull muttered, his brows drawn together in concern. He reached down and lifted her off the cold ground, cradling her in his big arms. “Let us know you’re still in there.”

“Mmm,” Dani stirred. 

She breathed deeply, and her green eyes fluttered open, searching her surroundings deliriously. She seemed to be waking from a very deep slumber. A cumulative sigh of relief rushed through those gathered around her.

“What happened?” Dani frowned and closed her eyes.

“You got up close and personal with a demon,” Bull huffed. “What were you thinking?”

Dani opened her eyes again and tried to focus on the face above her. 

“Hi, Bull,” she smiled sleepily, relaxing into his arms.

“Hey, Ginger,” he shook his head. “Stop being cute. I’m mad at you.”

“Mmm,” Dani’s smile widened as she closed her eyes and nestled her face against his enormous bicep. 

Seeing Dani was all right, Solas walked around the area, trying to get a read on the spirit.

“There is no trace of demonic energy anywhere. It has completely transformed,” he informed them.

Suddenly, Dani gasped, and her eyes flew open. Fear and anguish covered her face.

“There are so many people!” She cried. “Men, women, children—they’re all frightened and hurting. I tried to help them. The little girl—I tried to help her, but I couldn’t. It was an accident! I didn’t mean to—”

“Ginger,” Bull’s tone was somehow both gentle and firm as he ran his hand over the side of her face, wiping away tears with his thumb. “You didn’t do anything.”

“I…I didn’t,” Dani relaxed as confusion won out over the pain. She gazed up at Bull, her eyes pleading with him. “What happened to me?”

“I don’t know,” Bull sounded almost angry when he answered. “But I don’t like it. Solas, have you figured anything out?”

“Only that she somehow took away what tormented the spirit,” Solas shook his head. “She turned a demon of despair back into a spirit of compassion.”

“Is that even possible?” Dorian rubbed his forehead.

“What is good can turn bad,” Cole muttered. “Why can’t bad turn good?”

“That’s an interesting thought,” Solas nodded. “If a spirit can be corrupted by ill intention, it would only stand to reason that a demon could be healed by good intention. It just doesn’t happen because no one will stand in the middle. Most people attack demons instead of reaching out as she did, and most demons do not wish to be healed.”

“That’s all just great,” Iron Bull spoke gruffly. “But what’s this demon crap done to _her_?”

All eyes fell back on Dani. She’d lost consciousness again, and Bull hugged her close, the fingers of one hand twisted in her fiery curls.

“I cannot be sure until I investigate further,” Solas shook his head. “Back in Skyhold, I can monitor her journey in the Fade.”

“Just don’t get too caught up using her as a plaything,” Bull grumbled. “It’s all well and good you’ve got a freaky new discovery, but I want to know if that bastard hurt her. Because if it did, I’m going demon hunting.”

Without waiting for a reply, Bull stood and began carrying Dani back to Skyhold. The others exchanged quick glances before following silently.


End file.
